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J. W. HERRON.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PUMPI-NGv PETROLEUM OIL FROM WELL S.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1920.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Suva W01,

JAMES W. HER/RON, 01? OILDALE, CALIFORNIA.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PUMPING IETRQLE'UIVI-OIL FROM WELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ltltay 3, 1921.

Application filed April 30, 1920. Serial No. 377,862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Janus W. Hnnnoiv, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Oildale, in the county of Kern and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Pumping Petroleum-Oil from l/Vells, or which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for pumping petroleum oil from oil wells. The pumps ordinarily employed for pumping oil from oil bearing sands wear out in a very short time because of the fact that the oil pumped by them contains a considerable degree of sand. which rapidly wears and cuts the parts of the pump to such an extent as to render the frequent replacement of the parts necessary. A considerable increase in the cost oi pumping the oils results, not alone for the cost of the newpump and parts for the same but also because of the cost that will later be required to pull out the old one and put in the new one, and because of the loss of time occasioned by the necessity for such work.

As this description proceeds it will be seen that the apparatus and method constituting the subject matter of the present invention, provides a pump so constructed that wear upon the valve, plunger and other parts of the pump is entirely eliminated, and the choking or sanding-up of the pump is effectually guarded against.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pump which may be effectually sealed to secure the necessary suction without the employment of tightly fitting parts, while at the same time reducing the friction to a minimum. A still further object of the invention is to provide a pump'wherein a heated filler is supplied to a space between a hollow pump rod or plunger and a tubing in which said plunger operates, the heating of the filler reducing its viscosity at the upper part of the tubing and reducing the viscosity of the oil passing through the plunger. The viscosity of the filler increases toward the lower part of the tubing where the space is reduced, with the result that the necessary suction is insured for the eiiicient operation of the pump.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows.

l in tl p accompanying drawing:

The iigure 1s a vertical sectional view of a pump constructed in accordance with the invention.

In the drawing 5 designates a hollow pump rod mounted for vertical reciprocat on in a tubing compr sing an upper portion 6 and a lower portion 7, the portion 7 being of smaller diameter than the portion 6 and being connected thereto by a reducer 8. This results in providing a space 9 between the portion 6 and the hollow pump rod 5 and a space 10 between the portion 7 and the hollow pump rod 5. The structure described is disposed in a. well casing 11 which extends down to the oil bearing strata 12. A foot or standing valve 13, has a seatlng upon a valve seat 14- that is formed upon a fitting 15. A valve seat 16 disposed at the lover end of the hollow pump rod cooperates with a valve 17. A valve seat 18 which lies in spaced relation to the valve seat 16, cooperates with a valve 19. An oil supply pipe 20 leads to the upper portion oi the tubing 6, and this pipe may include with its length a heater 21. It is the function or" this pipe to supply to the space between the tubing and the hollow pump rod, a filler that serves the purposes hereinafter set forth. An outlet for the oil being pumped is indicated at 22, this outlet leading from the hollow pump rod 5.

By virtue of the structure shown and described, a pump is provided that will operate continuously under conditions that would destroy an ordinary pump in a few hours. In pumping any sand-laden oil it is impossible to force such oil, cold, through a small aperture. Some of the il that is to be pumped is very stiff and some of it is heavily laden with sand, and some of it is both sand-laden and very viscous. It is almost impossible to handle these oils with pumps of the usual kind, while with a Jump such as herein shown and described, have increased the output of a well from nine to twenty-one barrels per day and this in conjunction with a well that habitually sanded up from four to six times a week, necessitating a heavy outlay for working barrels, plungers and labor in pulling the tubing. This well it pumped, without stopping, for about four months.

In operation hot clean oil, of substantially the same gravity as the fluid to be pumped,

is supplied at the inlet 20. The oil being hot when it enters heats up the upper part of the hollow pump rod and correspondingly reduces the viscosity of the oil passing through said hollow pump rod with a consequent reduction in the friction. The oil gradually gets colder as it travels downwardly to the oil bearing sand and by the time it reaches and lills the space 10, it has become so cold that its viscosity is restored. This viscous body in the small space 10, together with the weight of the body of oil in the space 9 thereabove, overcomes the pressure of the fluid being pumped as it is forced upward by the down stroke of the pump rod and thus the oil being pumped is forced up into the hollow pump rod. The reduction of viscosity of the oil passing through the hollow pump rod by the appli cation of heat thereto, renders it possible to force "the heavy sand-laden oil through openings materially smaller than would. otherwise be possible.

The cold clean oil, liberated by the up stroke of the pump rod into the tubing 7 between the valves 13 and 17, mixes with the fluid being pumped and is forced up into the pump rod past valve 17 on the down stroke of said pump rod. The introduction of this clean oil assists in handling an excess of sand as well as in establishing and maintaining the circulation of the oil taken in at the inlet 20.

The circulation of hot oil may be increased or diminished as the density of the oil body, or the amount required to be handled within a given time, may require. This may be done by removing the reducer 8 and substituting another of a different size.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described claim is- 1. A pump comprising a tubing, a foot valve for said tubing, a hollow reciprocating plunger disposed in the tubing and of such diameter With respect to the tubing as to lie my invention, what I in spaced relation thereto, throughout its length, means for supplying a filler of liquid material to the space between the tubing and the plunger, and means for heating said filler.

2. A pump comprising a tubing, a foot valve for said tubing, a reciprocating hollow plunger disposed in the tubing and of such diameter with respect to the tubing as to leave an angular space between the tubing and the plunger throughout the length of the latter, the distance between the tulnng and the plunger being reducedtoward the bottom of said plunger, means for supplying a filler of liquid material to said spaces and means for heating said filler, said :[iller being introduced adjacent the top of the tubing.

8. A pump comprising a tubing made in two sections the lower 01: which is of smaller diameter than the upper, said sections being united by a coupling, a hollow reciprocating plunger disposed in said tubing and of such diameter as to lie in spaced relation thereto throughout its length, means for supplying a filler of liquid material to the space between the plunger and the tubing adjacent the upper end of the latter and means for heating said filler.

l. The herein described method which consists of introducing a heated oil to a pump between the plunger and the tubing thereof during the pumping operation, said heated oil thereafter entering and being discharged with the oil being pumped.

5. The herein described method which consists of continuously introducing a heated oil under pressure to a pump comprising a fixed tubing and a tubular movable plunger, said heated oil being introduced between the said fixed tubing and the plunger and adjacent the upper end of the fixed tubing, said heated oil passing downwardly and entering the lower end of the plunger along with the oil being pumped and serving by its heat to reduce the viscosity of the latter.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES l i HERRON.

Witnesses WILLIAM T. lVnLLs, JEAN L. WELLS. 

